Embossing device with integral inking means



5. J. RUDY 3,491,719

EMBOSSING DEVICE WITH INTEGRAL INKING MEANS Jan. 21, 1970 Filed March 30, 1967 Qfi/ZZOZ STEPHEN J. Ru 0y United States Patent 3,491,719 EMBOSSING DEVICE WITH INTEGRAL INKING MEANS Stephen J. Rudy, 107 Overlook Drive, Greenwich, Conn. 06830 Filed Mar. 30, 1967, Ser. No. 627,197 Int. Cl. Bc 1/02 US. Cl. 118-44 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The inking means, which is arranged in a handheld type device, such as a notarial seal press, is in the form of a roller rotatably supported in the seal press. The roller is preferably formed from a resilient ink-impregnated material, such as a porous plastic resin as disclosed in Patent 2,777,824 to H. R. Leeds. Two embodiments of the invention are disclosed, one wherein the ink roller is supported in the body of the seal press and is enclosed when not in use by a removable cover, the other wherein the ink roller is rotatably supported in the operating lever of the seal press. After an embossment is made, the seal press user need only roll the ink roller over the embossment to ink the same. It will be seen that spacer means are arranged adjacent each end of the ink roller so that only the crests of the embossment are inked.

This invention relates to an embossing device, such as is used for embossing seals upon legal documents, and concerns an inking means formed integral with the device whereby the embossments made by the device may be conveniently inked for improved visibility especially to assure reproduction of the seal when the document is reproduced by means employing photography, xerography, etc.

Hand-held seal presses have been known for many years, the most widely known type being that used by notaries public to notarize legal documents. The relatively recent practice of recording such documents by processes, such as photography, xerography, etc., has required that the embossment be darkened so that it may be observable on the reproduction. To accomplish such purpose, many means have been proposed and utilized such as, use of a cloth bag filled with lamp black which bag is lightly rubbed over the embossment, or a soft pencil brushed over the embossment. .Such methods are relatively crude, and fail to produce uniform darkening and leave much to be desired.

A significant contribution to the seal press art will be seen in a seal press which simultaneously embosses and prints the embossment, as disclosed in my Patent 3,- 154,010. The advantage of the present invention over that of my previous patent resides in low cost of manufacture as well as applicability to current type seal presses with minimal reconversion cost.

The inventive concept as embodied in the disclosed devices of this application affords an exceptionally efiicient and effective means for inking an embossment made by a seal press. In addition to providing positive inking action suitable for photographic or other types of reproduction, the devices of the invention are simple to use, of low cost manufacture, can be applied to existing seal presses without difiiculty, and most importantly provide an inking means which cannot be lost or misplaced. In addition, the inking roller may be easily replaced when the ink supply is exhausted, hence, the seal press user is assured of many years of service.

The advantages and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing wherein:

3,491,719 Patented Jan. 27, 1970 FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a seal press which incorporates one embodiment of the invention wherein an inking roller is positioned in the body of the seal press;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of the same with a cover means removed to illustrate the inking roller exposed for use;

FIG. 3 is a section view as seen from line 33 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an inking roller used in the seal press of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a cover means used in the seal press of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an elevation view of another embodiment of the invention wherein an inking roller is positioned in the operating lever of the seal press; and

FIG. 7 is a section view as seen from line 77 in FIG. 6.

Referring now to the drawing, numeral 10 designates a hand-held seal press of the type used for embossing a seal upon a sheet of paper. The seal press 10 includes a frame means 12, a handle or operating lever 14, an embossing assembly consisting of a female die members 16, a male die member 18, a pressure pad 20, and strap means 22 aflixed to the die members. The strap means is arranged to maintain the embossing assembly in position in a recess or opening 24 formed in the walls of the frame means 12, and are further arranged to keep the die members in open or separated condition when pressure is released upon the pressure pad. In such manner, paper may be positioned between the die members prior to an embossing operation and subsequently removed therefrom. The frame means 12 is preferably formed from a metal stamping which is bent to provide parallel side walls 26 joined by a U-shaped portion 28 extending along the lower extremity. The lever 14, which is also preferably formed from a metal stamping, which is bent to provide parallel side walls 30 joined by a U-shaped portion 32 extending along the upper extremity, is pivoted upon a shaft or rivet 34 whereby the lever may be swung in the region formed between the frame means side walls 26. The forward extremity of the lever 14 has a cam-like configuration 36 designed for engagement with the upper surface of the pressure pad 20. It will be seen that arcuate movement of the lever 14 about the pivot 34 will result in movement of the female die member 20 toward or away from the male die member 18 as the case may be. In such manner, embossing pressure may be applied to paper positioned between the die members, and subsequently relieved so that the embossed paper may be removed from between the die members. It will be understood that in accordance with common practice, the male die member 18 will be provided with projections having a desired indicia pattern, which projections will mate or interfit with recesses formed in the female die member 16. The male projections force the paper into the female recesses and in such manner stretch or distort the paper so that a raised embossment is permanently formed in the paper.

The seal press above described is well known in the art and is commercially available, and no claim is made thereto per se.

An inking means illustrative of an embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, and comprises a roller 40 mounted upon a shaft '42 extending along the longitudinal axis of the roller, said shaft projecting from both ends. The roller is formed of a resilient material capable of being impregnated with ink, a preferable material being an ink impregnated porous plastic of the type disclosed in the Leeds patent supra. Other types of inking rollers may be utilized, such as a roller, a portion of which is in contact with an ink reservoir whereby an ink film is provided on the roller.

The roller 40 is rotatably supported in bearing means 44 Which may be formed integral with the frame means 12, said roller being positioned so that the longitudinal axis is parallel with the outer periphery of the frame U-shaped portion 28, as best seen in FIG. 2. The roller is fixed against longitudinal movement by means of nuts 46 or equivalent which are fastened to the shaft projections. An arcuate opening 48 is formed in the frame U-shaped portion 28 whereby the lower portion of the roller is exposed. As shown in FIG. 2, the lower peripheral profile of the roller is positioned a given distance, depending upon the height of the embodiment to be produced, e.g., .005 to .010 inch, above the bottom line profile of the frame portion 28 so that only the crest portion of the embossments will be contacted by the roller when the latter is rolled thereupon. In such manner, the embossment will be inked in sharp relief with only the crest portions of the embossed indicia being colored.

A cover 50, which is shaped to snugly fit the frame means U-shaped portion 28, is provided for placement over the opening 48 when the roller is not in use. The cover is formed with longitudinally extending inwardly projecting ribs 52 arranged to fit within recesses 54 formed in the frame side walls 26, as best seen in FIG. 3. The cover is formed of a semi-rigid resilient material so that it may be snapped into or out of position on the frame means portion 28. Other cover arrangements may be fabricated, such as one utilizing hinge means to secure the cover to the frame 12 and allow the cover to be swung into or 011* of position over the opening 48.

The use of the inking means of the invention to ink or color an embossment is simple and may be quickly accomplished. After an embossment has been made in a sheet of paper by the seal press in the usual manner, the cover 50 is removed to expose the roller 40, following which the seal press is held in substantially vertical position and moved so that the roller is rolled over the embossment. Ink from the roller will be deposited upon the crests of the embossment thus preparing it for satisfactory reproduction by a photographic process.

A second embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, which differs from that above described only in that the ink rolier 40 is supported in a lever 56 of the seal press. The lever 56 is similar to the lever 14; however, the lower edges 58 define a straight line. The roller 40 is positioned so that the lower profile thereof extends beyond the edges 58 of the lever 56. Bearing means 60 are secured in the lever 56 which serve to support the roller in parallel relation to the edges 58. The bearing means are formed with an arcuate lower portion 62 which extends a given distance beyond the roller e.g., .005 to .010 inch, so that spacer means are thus provided whereby only the crests of the embossment will be inked by the roller.

To use the inking roller in the lever 56, it is only necessary to rotate the lever about the pivot 34 so that the roller may be rolled over the embossment. The shape of the cam means 36 will allow rotation of the lever through a counterclockwise arc, as viewed in FIG. 6, approaching 180, thus allowing inking action without interference with the frame means 12 of the seal press.

The second embodiment above described will not only operate as satisfactorily as the embodiment first described, but has the added advantage that no cover means, such as cover 50, is required because the roller is shielded within the lever 56 when not in use.

For the purpose of this disclosure, it will be noted that the operating lever 1.4 functions as a frame means for support of the roller 40 in the second embodiment.

The foregoing description has been given in detail without thought of limitation since the inventive principles involved are capable of assuming other forms Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an embossing device including male and female interfitting die members for embossing a paper-like material interposed between said die members, a frame means for operatively supporting said die members, and a lever means for causingrelative movement between said die members, an improvement comprising an inking means for inking an embodiment after it is formed by said die members, said inking means including a roller recessed in one of said frame means or lever means and which is rotatably supported so that a peripheral portion of the roller may be brought into rolling contact with crest portions of said embossment.

2. In an embossing device according to claim 1, wherein said inking roller is formed of a resilient ink saturated material.

3. In an embossing device according to claim 2, wherein said material is a porous plastic.

4. In an embossing device according to claim 1, wherein said inking roller is supported in said frame means, and

a movable cover means is arranged to cover an exposed portion of the roller when it is not being used for inking an embossment.

5. In an embossing device according to claim 4, wherein spacer means are disposed at each end of the roller which spacer means project beyond the periphery of the roller a predetermined amount so that only the crests of an embossment will be inked by the roller when brought into rolling contact with the embossment.

6. In an embossing device according to claim 1, wherein said inking roller is supported in said lever means.

7. In an embossing device according to claim 6, wherein said lever means is pivotally afiixed to said frame means for arcuate movement of the order of 180.

8. In an embossing device according to claim 7, where- .in spacer means are disposed at each end of the roller UNITED STATES PATENTS 675,404 6/ 1901 Pardi. 1,291,057 l/1919 Marks. 2,502,? 4/ i950 Krasucki 1l8242 XR 3,009,290 11/ 1961 Bratton 118-207 XR WALT ER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner ROBERT I. SMITH, Assistant Examiner U.S. c1. X.R. 101 3, 327

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,491,719 January 27, 1970 Stephen J. Rudy It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 15, "embodiment" should read embossment Signed and sealed this 17th day of November 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, IE

Edward M. Fletcher, Ir.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

